The Civil War is a dark mark on America's History, that helped define who we are today. Brothers fighting brothers, fathers fighting sons, and families devastated over a fear of change and compromise. Change, compromise, and leadership are all needed for a nation to succeed, but is bloodshed necessary to achieve success. Our land is stained with fathers and sons who believed that bloodshed was necessary to achieve greatness. The Civil War is a blemish on the history of the United States of America, but a necessary blemish.

Historian Shelby Foote said, "Any understanding of this nation has to be based...on an understanding of the Civil War...The Civil War defined us as what we are, and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things. It is necessary if you're going to understand the American character in the 20th century to learn about this enormous catastrophe of the mid-19th century. It was the crossroads of our beginning." (Burns & Burns, 1990)

Any American can look at her words and instantly see a meaning, the meanings may differ but each American relates. The words "It was a crossroads to a beginning", show that America was divided and the war reunited America as a unified nation. Without the bloodshed and sacrifice, America would look quite different. Many nations or none at all could have been the result, but the truth is that the North and the South needed each other for survival.

America was founded in freedom, which came in many forms. Her words also show how the people of America took this freedom to heart and would do anything to preserve it. The differences in man is what makes us great and what causes such catastrophes. Her words give allow anyone to glance straight into the heart of each and every American and see what built this strong nation.

Soldiers died in many battles that took place during the Civil War, in fact the war was responsible for more than 618,000 American deaths ("Civilwarhome.com", 2004). It...

YOU MAY ALSO FIND THESE DOCUMENTS HELPFUL

...Analytical Assignment
Turning points that occur during a conflict such as a civilwar may be found in men, as well as forces of events. Turning points are the moments or acts which are thought to have had profound effects which are necessary to drive the war along the course which it took. During the American CivilWar in the 1860’s there can be a widespread debate over which actual event was the turning point in the...

...Summary of the CivilWar:
Fought 1861-1865, the American CivilWar was the result of decades of sectional tensions between the North and South. Focused on slavery and states rights, these issues came to a head following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Over the next several months eleven southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America. During the first two years of the war, Southern troops won...

...The American CivilWar lasted from 1861-1865, and is known as one of the most crucial events in the history of American. In those four years, more than half a million soldiers from both the Confederate and Union side were either wounded or died trying to fight for what they believed in. A nation was divided and mass social and economical changes occurred throughout the entire region. This fight over slavery and State rights would pit man against man and create a...

...History > Reference Question
Next
Civilwar essay?????!?
Niloy asked 5 years ago
Can anyone please check my essay and if u can tell me what to edit and what to add. My essay is about the civilwar and how it ended and the important events that helped to end it. This is my exit project and i just want to make sure it is all right. My essay:
The CivilWar of America was one of the struggles the...

...April 1861, the CivilWar began. Lincoln wanted desperately to win the war because the nation needed desperately to win the war. Therefore, Lincoln changed his policy on slavery. On September 22, 1862, he issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln second-guessed himself on this issue.
On September 22, 1862, he issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln...

...NC
Term Paper
INTELLIGENCE IN THE AMERICAN CIVILWAR:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTELLIGENCE IN THE AMERICAN CIVILWAR AND THE EFFECTS OF THE ESPIONAGE SYSTEM ON THE WAR
Lauren E. Caulder
HIS 318-C
Fall 2011
Espionage at the commencement of the American CivilWar was not an organized system; however the war necessitated the development of more structured intelligence...

...12, 1861 – May, 1861 – The CivilWar Begins
I question, what has caused this CivilWar we are battling right now? Having heard the opinions of many soldiers and civilians, I think the war started for several reasons. The first was the fight against slavery, the second was the issue of states’ rights and the final reason was the election of Abraham Lincoln as President. . I think that Charles Sumner said it best,...